spring 2025
SVF-3109 Project description with fieldwork - 20 ECTS
Admission requirements
Admission requires a Bachelor's degree (180 ECTS) or equivalent qualification with a minimum of 80 ECTS in anthropology, sociology, ethnology, folklore, cultural studies, visual media/communication, visual culture or other closely related fields of study. Applicants must enclose a statement of purpose written in English (maximum of two pages). This statement must include the purpose for and interest in pursuing the master's degree programme, especially why you find visual anthropology interesting. It should also include a short description of a proposed master thesis project. Any experience from film making should also be mentioned in the motivation letter. An average grade equivalent to C or better within the Norwegian grading system is required for Bachelor's degree or equivalent issued in Europe, Canada, USA, Australia and New Zealand; And an average grade equivalent to B or better within the Norwegian grading system is required for Bachelor's degree or equivalent issued in all other countries.Course content
Your own anthropological master research project is a central part of your MA in Visual Anthropology. In this course you will develop your project description for the Master`s research project. In two seminars we will work on your initial ideas and transform them into a proper project design. You will develop research questions, conduct literature review of previous research in your field, and develop methodological tools that enable you to produce data that can answer your research questions.
Various approaches to camera-based research, the use of visual material in processes of elicitation of knowledge and the study of already existing visible culture will be presented and discussed in the lectures.
A Q-and-A session related to technical camera issues will be organized as part of the course.
An individual camera-based ethnographic fieldwork of 3-4 months duration will be conducted.
Objectives of the course
Students who successfully complete this course should have achieved the following learning outcomes:
Knowledge - the candidate:
- knows how to prepare, present and conduct a camera-based social scientific research project
- has solid knowledge of literature relevant to their Master’s project, thematically.
- knows what differentiates a research problematic from everyday issues
Skills - the candidate:
- is able to develop manageable research questions, and methodological and theoretical approaches for their Master’s project, and the chosen field of research.
- is able to demonstrate how the camera is going to be used in the discovery of the cultural conventions of their research partners
- is able to demonstrate how they are going to create a film narrative rooted in their overall project
General competence - the candidate:
- is able to demonstrate how they are going to pursue their objectives and research questions through the choices of research partners and research settings.
- is able to demonstrate how the textual and filmic representations are going to be related to each other.
- is able to identify and discuss the relevance of their project to research partners, discussions of cultural diversity in a global context, and the development of methodological and theoretical refinement.
Teaching methods
The course consists of approximately 8 hours with lectures (4 lectures) and approximately 16 hours with seminars. Consists of two parts; the practical and theoretical preparations and the practical fieldwork. The course runs for 6 weeks and also includes the fieldwork for the Master's Thesis.Schedule
Examination
| Examination: | Date: | Grade scale: |
|---|---|---|
| Portfolio | 28.03.2025 13:00 (Hand in) | Passed / Not Passed |
Coursework requirements:To take an examination, the student must have passed the following coursework requirements: |
||
| Compulsory attendance at lectures (80%) | Approved – not approved | |
| Participate in the safety and security course | Approved – not approved | |
| Submit completed form to NSD | Approved – not approved | |
| Camera based ethnographic fieldwork of 3-4 months | Approved – not approved | |
More info about the coursework requirements
Course attendance is compulsory, i.e. only valid absences will be approved. A minimum presence of 80 % is required.
The course has a portfolio evaluation, and the following is required during the preparation of the individual portfolio.
- Students must participate in the safety and security course in the field and submit the risk assessment form.
- Students must submit the notification form to NSD.
- Students must submit two drafts of their project description.
- Conduct a camera based ethnographic fieldwork of 3-4 months.
More info about the portfolio
The final portfolio must include the following:
- Project description for the Master’s project with a special focus on the formulation and discussion of research question(s) and the theoretical and epistemological context. During the development of the final project description the student must submit two drafts at given deadlines through the course period
- Literature review
- Approved risk assessment form
- Fieldwork report reflecting on whether or not the fieldwork is fulfilling the expectations of the original project description and how to move forward.
Students are not admitted access to camera equipment and allowed to start fieldwork before the project description, the notification form to NSD and the risk assessment are approved.
- About the course
- Campus: Tromsø |
- ECTS: 20
- Course code: SVF-3109
- Responsible unit
- Institutt for samfunnsvitenskap
- Tidligere år og semester for dette emnet